I was mislead and should seek mediation to recover some or all of the earnest/hand/deposit money?

He has been saving his money for years and has plenty of money saved but no experience with real estate investing.

At minimum, stage the living room and primary bedroom to give it some warmth.That said, have you thought about cutting bait and putting your money into a market where the numbers actually work?

I never even would've thought of that.I think you need help with just money management. 

However, if you intend to work with a hard money lender or utilize a short-term loan product, you're on the clock for repayment, which can be stressful if things go sideways. 

These people get free govt money with these vouchers that never seem to expire.

If you ever have any questions regarding this or in general feel free to reach out I enjoy helping and ensuring other BP members avoid lost time and money. 

As long as you don't lose money. 

It is a complimentary strategy to pull some of your money back out and hedge your bet.

You could offer cash for keys to get her out-NEVER hand over any money until they are out and you have the keys and signed paperwork that they are out of the property.